BURLINGTON — The North Country Union High School Falcons defeated the Stowe Raiders 1-0 to clinch the Division III state championship in Burlington Saturday.

Brittany Fortier scored the game-winning goal eight minutes into the second half to lift the Falcons to their first state title since 1980.

“From the first day of practice, our girls had it in their minds that they were going all the way this year,” Falcons Coach Chantelle Bouchard said in a phone interview. “I knew we had a shot because we had made it to the semifinals for two consecutive years, and we had ten seniors this year.”

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Denise Robert (right) tries to defend against Brittany Royer’s charge during pickup field hockey play at Prouty Beach in Newport on Monday evening. Adrianna Fournier (background) moves in to support Ms. Robert. The pickup field hockey league, organized by Jessica Booth of the Newport City Parks and Recreation Department, plays every Monday night at 5:30 p.m. Photos by Richard Creaser

copyright the Chronicle July 2, 2014

by Richard Creaser

NEWPORT — Field hockey has long been a passion for Jessica Booth of Irasburg. Hoping to find some women who were equally enamored of the sport, Ms. Booth, as a member of the Newport City Parks and Recreation Department, decided to put out feelers via the rec department’s Facebook page to gauge interest in forming an adult league.

“I was expecting maybe five or six women,” Ms. Booth said of the inaugural field hockey game on June 23. “There were more than 24 women who came out. I was thrilled at the response.”